Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-03-25
FuNIsnMENr an srse sINe
The Pain OF Belng Hung by the
Wrists aud size Horrors OF the
DARK cell.

visitor going through Siug Sing
Prison IL struck by square ro1tr, com
paratively small for that place, thas has
. cleaner and Or gh,er appearance THAI
g$y'OiheF room in the entire insgItutinn,
tai oh8plain's Office Bot exc pied The
entrance Ia on level With the ground
the entire center IA taken 40 by frame.
work OF brick that Is followed out on
two sides int the cells, and the entire
place IL 40 white ~ lime can make it,
The tagged corridor running sroand the
celiai spOtless, and she place Is as quiet
as q tomb.
The cells are perfectly bare Of furni-
ture, and are, for the greater part OF the
time, empty. They are doubly guarded,
for besides the usual heavy grated door
they have door made Of heavy plauks
that sets In close 90 the masonry. They
are In striking contrast h the walls, Tor
they are painted black. A raised section
OF woodwork In the center OF them ad
mits air into them through winding
channels, through which not ev. u the
faintsst raw Of light can force It's way.
AS cheerful as the place looks 10 the Wis
itoF, u IL n bugbear 30 the prisoners, for
these are the dark cells.
THIS is one Of the TIVE forms 10 pan.
ishment istiicted upon refractory prison
ers In Sing sing, aud IL ~ a Punishment
80 horrible that the mere threat OF a
dark cell carries With IL more terrors
than the actual infection Of the Other
punishment which consists In str ne
tng no prisoners by their wrists. Toe
apparatus for this Is 10 the same build
lag, and consists Of piece q heavy
timber about. eighteen inches SOU are
that slides ~ and down in groove. Ia
the center Of the square IL heck. and
then the block Is raised 40 until tue
prisoners feet leave toe 4 ior. This
poiat IL generally signaled by q scream
from the unhappy wretAh Who Is sns-
peAdsd, Pdnoipsi Keeper Oonnaaehtan
said, not mere than attsen OF tWeaty
seconds.
II have seen statements 90 the effect y
said be, "that blood frequently Eushes
from the wrists Of prisoners Pauished
this Way that 10 often cFtpoles th-m :
life; that prisoners ere husg up for sivs
and Ten minutes; aud that tSs rnnish
ment IL frequently inflicted. Nose OF
these statements Is tfas. In the frsi
place, no liviNc map oould stand bein1
strung np a. long a time a. that Toe
panishment H. not inflicted hers once I
month, and during nov ieag experiences
IN prison ] have never kaoSn ~ blood
being forced thTuagh the skin ~ the
pgvssare. A short u0e aga party OF
visitors Sas shows thrpHgA hers. Oas
Of them was a ysUug msR about twenty
Que years of age. tie had sn idea thai
men we're tuaR ~ by t6eiT wrists To-
hours Al a time. when | told bim ibal
the panis smeut never lasted mote thar
q few secs nds h wAs nos Inclined 60 ha
lieye a. seat for a ptif % b ,nisud
and ho CONSENTED 10 90 ne hang him "a
for a few ssoopds. just So snoa as %,
strain began be esitd eai, and hla ~,
had scarcely left to- groaHd before 4,
Vas implorinR ne O. let him dnwn
There w.as faiut red lire AE0aud bu
wrists, and ths, wss ~"
As terrible as this pun shuent - Is {,
nothing eumrartd O. TIE aCoDits suH z
ed by prisaueE wha u iacssd up "a !
dark cell. A yeanR fellow wAs taken {.
sing sing Rtout year ago % serve !
i've years seatsHee, he bsgau bis ieru
ef Imprisonment ~ sol,syinE ever,
order given hlm by the ka=pegs. IA.
Vas reasoned wiih Rn3 gdafts wrr,
made 20 she's him t0at b. sss buFtsu.
nobody - mnos - b. aas hurting alan
self. lie vas hoth a. and yscl ~, aud
be WAS siruaS hf tae wrists los
punishment kepg him sirssgtt fag few
DAYS. bat q VAS so0u toani o. sars
10 string him ~ aGalB. TIE sscau
ponishmeat sesnssd b. hsya % sSscl
aud then be was plSoed IL = dsgk erli
A. the expiration oi = few tours ths
door vas opened, and tie yoang q Al
rushed out With fasS pals a. dsash.
and EhAkiRg IN every emA. he be-
hsved hlusslf for a seek, SD tesu zen
int bis cid Nays again.
! thtRk ! snail nags g. pai yoa ig